1. Technical Field
The inventions relate to security systems, and more particularly, to electronic systems that verify and authenticate a party to a transaction and associate one or more electronic documents to an individual.
2. Related Art
Web based interfaces are accessible through publicly distributed networks like the Internet. Users send and receive documents that may include various formats including text, graphics, and images. Some documents include sensitive information that requires the tracking of a sender's identity within the network connection to ensure that the information is not modified or repudiated. These documents may be protected by a chain of security, where each link warrants the content of that information.
Some systems use unique electronic codes that verify that a message was received from a true sender. These systems may use an asymmetric scheme of codes for encryption. A secret code may be used to encrypt a signature while a public code may be used to decrypt it. The two codes are often different, and one may not be derived from the other.
While public codes are openly shared, secret codes are often guarded by the person generating the signature within their computers. These computers can be the weakest link in a secure system. Some computers may be subject to viral attacks that infect the computer by copying and sending files while appearing to do something useful. Video cameras or surveillance software may acquire a secret code without a user's knowledge or consent. Some computers that are resistant to internal attacks may be induced to sign a document by an infected computer.
There is a need for a system that allows users to digitally sign a document without retaining a code in a user's computer or require a user to obtain a code prior to signing the document. There is also a need for a system that allows users to view and sign many types of documents.